Greg wants a used compact SUV that can handle an adventurous life.

EXPERT RATING

STARTING PRICE

$49,577

BASIC SPEC

STARTING PRICE

$32,990

BASIC SPEC

What used SUV should I buy?

09 Jan 2017Cameron McGavin

The dilemma

Greg is in the market for his first car. He's a keen surfer, so his ideal package needs to be capable of getting him to far-off spots with his board and other gear in the back. He's keen on a compact SUV and would love a Subaru Forester but is finding many of its rivals seem to offer more for similar money.

The budget

$10,000

The shortlist

The Forester is a fine choice when you actually need your compact SUV to handle a bit of light off-road action, not just look like it can.

As Greg has found, though, strong resale is factor and in this price range it means the Subie has potential shortcomings other compact SUVs might not suffer from. So considering other options certainly wouldn't be silly.

Some can be counted out at this first stage. Honda CR-Vs are happier around town than off the tarmac. Toyota RAV4s don't do as well in the safety-equipment field as our chosen alternatives.

Contenders from Kia and Hyundai in this price range, meanwhile, are from a generation when they weren't front-running packages.

2006-12 Mitsubishi Outlander, from $5100*

This Mitsubishi's cabin and boot are competitively practical and its lockable all-wheel-drive system and decent ground clearance give it decent off-road chops. Its 2.4-litre petrol drivetrain delivers a competitive mix of performance and economy.

Crucially for a first-time driver, it makes contemporary safety tech easily attainable. Stability control is widely available and so are curtain airbags (the former was made mandatory in 2007's MY08 upgrade; the latter were standard on higher level models and commonly optioned to base LSs).

But don't expect quite the off-road potential of a Forester, the sharpest road manners or the brightest cabin vibe on the compact-SUV block. V6 models promise extra grunt but also chew through more fuel.

2007-14 Nissan X-Trail, from $7500*

Its boot – hard surfaced and featuring a removable floor with drawers underneath – is perfectly suited to outdoorsy types.

Its 2.5-litre petrol engine delivers a solid performance/economy mix and its diesel option is a boon for those who clock up serious open-road miles. Every model in the range is equipped with stability control and curtain airbags.

But the X-Trail can't quite cut it with a Forester off the beaten track and its mushy handling means it isn't a benchmark on the tarmac, either. Flat seats and a slightly tight back seat are other question marks.

2008-12 Subaru Forester, from $9100*

It has this group's most sorted handling and its cabin and boot are competitively practical. Just like the X-Trail, every model has stability control and curtain airbags.

But the Forester's 2.5-litre petrol engine has a driveability/economy deficit in auto form (it's an old fashioned four-speed where its rivals here use continuously-variable transmissions, or CVTs) and diesel models are off-limits in the $10k realm. So, too, are turbo models, even if a P-plater could drive one.

Even in the case of a base X Greg will likely face a kilometre or age penalty relative to the competition.

The former is worth considering in the case of a religiously serviced example (Subarus need their love) but the latter will likely put him into a second-gen model, which just doesn't cut it in this company.

Drive recommends

A tip-top, low-kilometre third-gen Forester might just be the most desirable option for this scenario but in all likelihood Greg will have to live with a kilometre/condition sacrifice to get one or wind back the clock to a second-gen model, which – based mostly on its inferior safety – we wouldn't recommend.

The Mitsubishi has no such issues. Getting one in fine fare and with all the key safety features is far from a pipedream in the $10k realm.

The Nissan, though, makes it even easier to attain contemporary safety than its rival, has a more suitable alternative engine (a diesel) and a boot better suited to the dedicated surfer. With so little separating them in other crucial areas, it canters to an easy win.

* Values are estimates provided by Redbook based on an example averaging up to 20,000km per annum and in a well-maintained condition relevant to its age.

Drive Ratings

2014 Nissan X-Trail Ti

2012 Subaru Forester X

Drive Comments

Ranger17 | 11 Jan 2017 05:37

Jeep KJ Cherokee. Very strong, real 4x4 capability, reliable and cheap parts ( ex- USA ). Only liability is fuel consumption, but probably not much more than an X-Trail or Forester, anyway.
And before everyone weighs in, I've owned all of them.

TDubs | 16 Jan 2017 05:25

100% Suzuki Grand Vitara
They've held onto genuine offroad capability long since the competition has gone soft for city types...